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Richardson and Gott were back before Bradford Crown Court for breaching their suspended sentence orders

A PAIR of drug addicts who were spared jail for pinning a pensioner to his mobility scooter and robbing him of £150 have appeared back before the courts.

Back in January, Bradford Crown Court heard how Amanda Richardson and Jane Gott, both 34, “targeted” 76-year-old Leslie Brown as he was returning home after shopping in Keighley on July 30 last year.

The two women grabbed their victim and held him down until they were able to take his wallet and steal the cash.

The pair both pleaded guilty to robbery and were given suspended sentences, Richardson for two years and Gott for 16 months.

The former was back in court after admitting a new offence of theft, committed on February 9.

Prosecutor Philip Adams said off-duty police officers had seen Richardson crouched over a bag in the Asda store on Bingley Street in Keighley. When she was challenged, staff found three sets of hair straighteners on her, worth a total of £120.

Mr Adams said Richardson was “heavily convicted for shop theft”, with 45 previous convictions for like offences.

Abigail Langford, defending, said Richardson, of Heber Street, Keighley, had spent the last three weeks in custody and was now on a regular methadone prescription for her addictions.

She said that the probation service were happy to allow Richardson’s suspended sentence order - which also included a nine-month drug rehabilitation order - to continue as the new offence had occurred soon after she was sentenced.

The Recorder of Bradford, Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC, said Richardson had been “very lucky” to receive a suspended sentence for the robbery.

He told her: “You’re up to your old criminal tricks. It matters to shops in this area, they are not charities. If they don’t make their returns, they go bust. I am wholly unimpressed by you. But, it is early in the order and the probation service can see light.”

Judge Durham Hall deferred sentencing Richardson for six months until September 5, stating he would not activate her prison term if she managed to avoid re-offending and fully complied with the order.

He said: “Just do it. No more nicking from anywhere, please.”

Gott, of Springbank Rise, Keighley, was in court for breaching her suspended sentence order by missing drug rehabilitation appointments. Judge Durham Hall allowed the order to continue, adding three rehabilitation activity days.

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